Miami Heat’s Jaime Jaquez Jr. Makes Pick For Rookie Of Year

Bryan Townes | Feb 14, 2025

Feb 13, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Miami Heat center Kel'el Ware (7) blocks teh shot of Dallas Mavericks forward Olivier-Maxence Prosper (8) during the second half at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Jaime Jaquez Jr. was selected for his second Rising Stars game despite an inconsistent sophomore season.

Jaquez is averaging 9.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.7 assists on 43.7 percent shooting and 29.3 percent from three-point range.

Many were shocked Jaquez made it over the Heat’s first-round draft pick, Kel’el Ware, because he had been having a better season since he moved to the starting lineup as their new center. Especially considering the fact Ware is in the top 10 in Rookie of the Year odds and on the Kia Rookie Ladder.

Jaquez praised Ware for his breakout rookie season ahead of the Rising Stars game. He even advocated Ware as the Rookie of The Year favorite as the league heads into All-Star weekend.

“The way he’s been able to really get thrown into the fire and really take it all in while not being afraid,” Jaquez said. “It was a slow start to his season, but he gained the trust of the coaches and his teammates. We love having him around and his ability to play defense and roll to the rim. He’s been absolutely tremendous for us.”

HEAT VS MAVERICKS TAKEAWAYS: HUGE NIGHT FROM TYLER HERRO NOT ENOUGH

The Miami Heat (25-28) lost their fourth consecutive game against the Dallas Mavericks (30-26) 118-113.

Here’s a look at four major takeaways from the matchup:

1. Tyler Herro was the primary source of offense throughout the game.

Herro finished with 40 points, eight rebounds, and three assists on 50 percent shooting and 21.4 percent from three-point range. He had 17 points in the second quarter. This was an impressive showcase for Herro because it displayed how much he has improved at attacking the basket. The only flaw of his night was shooting 3 of 14 from the perimeter.

2. Kel’el Ware shined as the only center active for the Heat.

Without Bam Adebayo and Kevin Love, Ware was the only big. He finished with 17 points, nine rebounds, and one block on 57.1 percent shooting and missed all three of his attempts from the perimeter. Since being introduced to the starting lineup, Ware originally got a lot of shot attempts. This hasn’t been the case recently, but he took full advantage of the Maverick’s lack of a center.

3. Kyle Anderson had his best game for the Heat so far.

Anderson finished with 15 points, 10 rebounds, and three assists on 60 percent shooting and didn’t attempt any shots from the perimeter. Without Andrew Wiggins due to an illness, the Heat put him in the starting lineup, where he had his first double-double performance since 2023. Because of Jaime Jaquez Jr’s inconsistent season, Anderson may be able to gain more minutes as a key part of the roster as everyone gets healthy after the All-Star break.

4. Alec Burks continues to show his veteran value.

Burks finished with 12 points, seven rebounds, and four assists on 42.9 percent shooting and 40 percent from three-point range. As bleak as the Heat’s offense has been lately, he has not been one of them. Nearly every time he’s gotten at least 20 minutes of playing time this season, Burks has been one of the most productive scorers for them. The Heat needed his scoring because they were missing Wiggins and Adebayo.

MIAMI HEAT’S DAVION MITCHELL SHARES FIRST IMPRESSIONS ON HEAT CULTURE

From the outside perspective, Miami Heat’s infamous “Heat Culture” has a nerve-rattling reputation for players coming into the organization for the first time.

Davion Mitchell is one of the Heat’s newest members, acquired from the Toronto Raptors before the trade deadline. He shared his thoughts about what Heat Culture means to him since he’s a part of the team.

“You hear stories that it’s kind of like the military here,” Mitchell said. “That’s not true, just from the two practices I was here. I don’t know anything about the summer yet and I guess we’ll see. But here, it’s a lot of fun and a lot of joy. You see a lot of people smiling.”

Mitchell spoke about Erik Spoelstra as a significant reason for the positive vibes. He explained Spoelstra does a good job of managing the team and creating a great environment despite the difficulties of being in the leag

“It’s not always just serious the whole time,” Mitchell continued. “You kinda gotta have fun with this. We play so many games. We travel so much. You’re not with your family. You’re not with the people you love all the time, so you have to make the environment fun. And I think Coach Spo does a really good job with that.”

Mitchell aims to debut on the Heat in tonight's game against the Boston Celtics.

Bryan Townes is a contributor to Miami Heat On SI. He can be reached at btownesjr@gmail.com or on X @bryantownesjr11. Follow our coverage on Facebook.